To eliminate clogging of rain gutters by debris, e.g., leaves, various rain gutter covers have been designed to channel water into a rain gutter, while, at the same time, keeping the debris from entering the rain gutter. One such rain gutter cover is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,851 issued Jun. 8, 1993, herein incorporated by reference. Such rain gutter covers function through water adhesion principles that channel water into the gutter via a plurality of apertures formed in the rain gutter cover. These apertures direct the water into the rain gutter while debris of sufficient size is excluded from entering the rain gutter. Typically, such rain gutter covers are attached between a roofline and a lip of the rain gutter along the entire length of the rain gutter.
However, two portions of a roof may meet at an angle (typically, 90 degrees) to form what is known as an inside corner or inside valley. In principle, water flowing along an inside valley flows onto the top flat portion of a gutter cover following a path to the collector portion where, through principles of surface adhesion, the water is delivered into the rain gutter as the debris carried by the water is jettisoned off of the gutter cover. However, the amount of water flowing from an inside valley may exceed the gutter cover's ability to collect the water, thereby permitting much of the water to overflow the gutter cover and to fall onto the ground resulting in soil erosion, basement leakage and so on.
In an attempt to redirect the rain water from the inside valley to a larger cross-section of gutter covers, vertical deflectors or fence-like devices have been installed on the gutter covers. These fence-like devices extend usually 11/2 inches to 3 inches in height and are positioned to interrupt the flow of water before it reaches the gutter covers, thereby diverting the water laterally across the roofing or the horizontal portion of the gutter covers. In essence, the fence-like devices spread the large quantity of water within the inside valley across the roof. Unfortunately, tree debris, twigs, leaves, seeds, and so on accumulate behind the fence-like device, thereby reducing its effectiveness in diverting the rain water. Additionally, debris collecting behind the fence-like device contributes to the deterioration of the roofing material itself. To keep the fence-like device functioning, frequent cleaning is required, which is cumbersome, dangerous and contrary to the intended function of the gutter covers, i.e., keeping the rain gutters maintenance-free.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a maintenance-free water collection device that functions within an inside valley of the roof without collecting debris.